How Can I Optimize MySQL Searches to Prioritize Results Where the Search Term Appears Earlier in the Word?

MySQL Search Results Ordered by Relevance

Question:

Optimizing a search query in MySQL to prioritize results where the search string appears closer to the beginning of the word, resulting in a more user-friendly "best match" ordering.

Discussion:

The initial query, SELECT word FROM words WHERE word LIKE '%searchstring%' ORDER BY word ASC, sorts results alphabetically without any preference for the placement of the search string within the word. To address this issue, we can utilize MySQL's CASE statement for the first sorting method and the LOCATE function for the second.

Solution:

First sorting method (start, middle, end of word):

SELECT word
FROM words
WHERE word LIKE '%searchstring%'
ORDER BY
  CASE
    WHEN word LIKE 'searchstring%' THEN 1  -- Starts with search string
    WHEN word LIKE '%searchstring' THEN 3  -- Includes search string
    ELSE 2                              -- Does not include search string
  END

Second sorting method (position of matched string):

SELECT word
FROM words
WHERE word LIKE '%searchstring%'
ORDER BY LOCATE('searchstring', word)

Tie-breaker (optional):

To further refine the ordering in scenarios where multiple words share a position within the word, a secondary sorting field can be added using the word itself:

SELECT word
FROM words
WHERE word LIKE '%searchstring%'
ORDER BY LOCATE('searchstring', word), word

Conclusion:

By employing these techniques, search results can be ordered by relevance, with a preference for matches that appear closer to the beginning of the word. This provides a more intuitive user experience and improves the accuracy of the search functionality.

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